1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sales promotion method and system for attracting consumer attention to articles being sold or marketed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in the prior art for the sale of products in food stores, department stores, or the like to employ a flashing or revolving light connected to a power source for attracting consumer attention to items being sold on a store shelf near the light. Such a promotional light system has been previously mounted on a light pole or at a single location adjacent to shelves carrying a plurality of items being sold.
It has also been known to provide advertising buttons carrying advertising or promotional indicia on the front surface of the button with a pin on the back of the button for pinning the button to a lapel, shirt, or the like of a person. These buttons have been known previously to employ a blinking or flashing light such as a light emitting diode with a small battery and a circuit for blinking, all self-contained on a common circuit board mounted to a back surface of the button, and wherein the mounting pin is also provided on the circuit board. The mounting pin may perform the dual function of a switch such that when the pin is closed, the switch is closed and the blinking begins.
With the prior art store promotional systems, if a portable battery source is used, the battery must typically be of substantial dimensions and of considerable weight in view of the substantial amount of light power required to draw the attention of the consumer to the area containing the products.
In the case of the flashing or blinking promotional buttons worn by persons, such buttons in the prior art have had typical blink rates of 2 or 3 blinks per second, for example, and have a continuous maximum operating lifetime of approximately 150 hours using the relatively small batteries which are self-contained directly on the circuit board behind the front face of the button. The dimensions of such buttons are limited since they are worn by persons on their clothes, and excessive dimensions or weight is considered disadvantageous. Thus, the blink life of the prior art buttons has been relatively short. Such typical flashing buttons have a diameter, for example, of approximately one inch and a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch overall for the button including the circuit board on the back of the button.